US3116518A

US3116518A - Drafting roll and apron clearing arrangement

Info

Publication number: US3116518A
Application number: US133438A
Authority: US
Inventors: Russell B Newton
Original assignee: Milliken Research Corp
Current assignee: Deering Milliken Research Corp; Milliken Research Corp
Priority date: 1961-08-23
Filing date: 1961-08-23
Publication date: 1964-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 1981-01-07

Description

Jan. 7, 1964 R. B. NEWTON 3,116,513

DRAFTING ROLL AND APRON CLEARING ARRANGEMENT Filed Aug. 23, 1961 5 sheets sheet l F1634" INVENTOR.

RUSSELL B. NEWTON ATTOR EY Jan. 7, 1964 R. B. NEWTON 3,115,518

DRAFTING ROLL AND APRON CLEARING ARRANGEMENT Filed Aug. 25. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RUSSELL- B.NEWTON Jan. 7, 1964 R. B. NEWTON 3,

DRAFTING ROLL AND APRON CLEARING ARRANGEMENT Filed Aug. 25, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

RUSi LS ELL B.NEWTON United States Patent 3,116,518 DRAFTING RGLL AND APRQN CLEARING ARRANGEMENT Russell 13. Newton, fipartanburg, S.C., assignor to Deering Millikan Research Corporation, Spartanburg, S.C., a

corporation or Delaware Filed Aug. 23, 1961, Sier. No. 133,438 18 Claims. (Cl. 19-245) This invention relates to the handling of textile fibers, and more particularly to an improved drafting arrangement of the apron type.

In the drafting of textile fibers it is conventional practice to employ a sequence of drafting rolls, one or more of which drafting rolls may have a control apron thereabout and extending forwardly therefrom for maintaining a desired degree of control over the fibers in their passage between pairs of rolls. Such control aprons and the rolls and tensor elements about which they normally pass are subject to the accumulation of lint from the air or surrounding environment. Also, with the conventional roll and spaced tensor element arrangement, the fiber-engaging run of an apron does not always maintain the desired degree of control of the fibers along its entire length, although the tensor element is sometimes widened in an attempt to remedy this deficiency. Further, it is desirable that the aprons be capable of accommodating variations, which are sametimes abrupt and substantially large, as in the case of slubs, in the fiber mass size passing through the fiber-drafting arrangement. It is also desirable that a given apron-drafting arrangement be capable of accommodating various sizes of yarn mass for spinning various yarn counts, preferably on a self-compensating basis, without requiring manual adjustment for each variation in fiber mass or yarn count.

A feature of the present invention is the provision of an apron-type fiber-drafting arrangement which provides a cleaning or clearing action on the apron-carrying rolls and the interior of the aprons, as well as providing a desired maximum degree of guiding and control of the fiberengaging run of the aprons, and in which the fiber-engaging runs of the aprons are capable of self-compensating accommodation of variations in fiber mass size.

Still other features and attendant advantages will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of several physical embodiments constructed according to the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an apron drafting assembly incorporating the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a schematic line section View of a drafting arrangement according to the present invention and incorporating the apron drafting arrangement of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an exploded View of the apron-drafting arrangement of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a modified aprondrafting arrangement according to the invention.

FIGURE 5 is a line section View of a drafting arrangement incorporating the modified apron-drafting arrangement of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is an exploded View of the apron-and-rollclearing and apron-guiding-and-controlling elements of the embodiment of FIGURES 4 and 5.

FIGURE 7 is a schematic line section View of a further modification according to the invention.

Referring now to the figures of the drawings, in FIG- URES 1-3 the invention is illustrated as applied to a conventional apron-drafting arrangement having three successive pairs of nip-

type draft rolls

11, 13, 15, 17, 19 and Patented Jan. '3', I954 21, the middle pair of rolls being knurled, as shown, or fluted or smooth as desired, and having fiber-control aprons di posed thereabout and extending forwardly therefrom toward the front pair of rolls 1), 21.

As in conventional practice, the apron roll assembly is illustrated as suitably mounted in a cradle 23 including a pair of side walls 23a, 23b secured together in spacedapart relation as through the medium of connecting

pins

23c, 23d which may be suitably secured to the side walls as by bradding, welding, or the like. The cradle is illustrated as a unitary construction, although it will be apparent that various cradle arrangements may be employed as may be desired, and in accordance with conventional or other desired practice. As in conventional practice the cradle 23 rests on the smooth bosses of the knurled drive roll 17, and the top roll 15 rests in a suitably formed recess in the cradle walls and is held in position by the tension of the apron 25 which passes thereabout and a conventional Weighting arm (not shown).

According to the present invention, the conventional tensor element, which is normally a fixed nose bar for each of the aprons, is eliminated and a combination apronand-roll-clearing and apron-guiding

element

35, 37 is disposed within each of the

aprons

25 and 27, and elastic means are provided for permitting self-compensating movement of one or both of the aprons toward and away from the fiber-flow path between the aprons in order to accommodate variations in fiber mass size. In the illustrated embodiment of FIGURES 1-3, this elastic means takes the form of a connecting U-pin 39 and elastic tube 4-1, the pin 39 fitting both within an axial bore 41a formed in the elastic tube 41 and a complementary bore 37d formed in and extending across the width of the clearing and guiding element 37. The elastic tube 41, which may be formed of soft rubber, plastic, or other suitable elastic material, may be disposed within a complementary bore 35d extending across the width of the clearing and guiding element 35. The pin 39 also passes through complementary openings 23 formed in the two side walls 23a, 23b of the cradle 23, and this serves to establish the base position of the nose ends 350, 370 of the clearing and guiding

elements

35, 37 and the

corresponding aprons

25, 27. The elastic tube disposed within the upper clearing and guiding element 35 permits self-compensating movement of this element 35 and its apron 25 toward and away from the path of the fiber mass F.

It will be apparent that while the embodiment of FIG- URES 1-3 is illustrated with the lower clearing and guiding element 37 relatively fixed and the upper clearing and guiding element elastically disposed relative thereto, the reverse of this arrangement may be employed if desired, or both elements may be elastically mounted for movement toward and away from the fiber flow path.

In FIGURES 4-6, there is illustrated a modified arrangement in which both apron-and-roll-clearing and apron-guiding

elements

135, 137 are mounted for elastic movement toward and away from the flow path of the fiber mass F. In this arrangement the clearing and guiding

elements

135, 137 have slots d, 137d formed in their respective oppositely outer surfaces, which slots accommodate a U-bracket or flat U-pin 139 and respective cushion strips or pads of elastic material 141a, 1411). The U-bracket or U-pin 139 is suitably removably mounted in complementary slots 123 12 3f formed in the cradle 123. The mounting bracket 139 and elastic cushions 141a, 1411b serve to elastically position the apron-and-roll-clearing and apron-guiding

elements

135, 137 and the fiberengaging runs of the aprons for desired fiber-flow between the

rolls

15, 17 and 1%, 21, while permitting self-compensating movement of the clearing and guiding

elements

135, 137 and fiber-engaging runs of the aprons 25, 2'7 toward a and away from the flow path of the fiber mass F to accommodate variations in the size of the fiber mass.

In order to provide free movement of the clearing and guiding elements toward and away from one another in this embodiment the slots 135d, 137d may be either oversize, or preferably cut with an undercut in the front portion thereof as illustrated, in order to prevent binding during movement away from one another. The undercut slot permits this free movement while also providing a substantially continuous apron-engaging surface for the outer runs for the

aprons

235, 27.

In FIGURE 7, there is illustrated a further modification according to the invention, and in which the two apronand-roll-clearing and aprornguiding

elements

235, 237 are mount d in relatively fixed position by a U-pin 239 similar to the U-pin of PEGURE l, but without the elastic tube surrounding one of the legs of pin as in FIGURE 1. In this modified embodiment the fiber-engaging run of the top apron 25 is permitted to move in self-c mpensating manner to\ ard and away from the how path of the fiber mass F, while still providing both apron-guiding of the fiber engaging run of this apron as well as the opposite apron 2'7, and also apron-and-roll-clearing of the two aprons 25, F7. this end, the upper clearing and guiding clement ha elastic cush on layer 2 surface of the apron A, and p s self-compensating elastic movement of the fiber-er ging run of this apron toward and away from the fiber-flow path, although the main body portions of each of the clearing and guiding elements and 23? are relatively fixed with respect to one another.

cushion may be formed of a slab or sheet of elastic material, such as soft low-f1 n pla it: or the like, and may be formed on or suitably secured to the upper main substantially rigid material body portion of the clearing and guiding element 2J3 as by rubber cement or other suitable adhesive or bonding material.

Although it is impossible to illustrate such in the drawings, it wil be understood that the apron-and-roll-clearing and apron-guiding elements should not be so tight within the aprons as to materi iy imp 'ie the passage of the aprons there bout. As a matter of fact, a substantially loose fit within the aprons has been found to be most advantageous, while still providing the desired apron-androll-clearing and apron-guiding functions.

While the invention has been illustrated with respect to several illustrative embodiments, it will be apparent that various modifications and improvements may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be understood as limited to the specific illustrative embodiments, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. In an apron-type fiber-drafting assem ly having a plurality of drafting rolls and a pair of fiber-control aprons disposed about a respective pair of said rolls and extending into the zone between said pair of rolls and a subsequent pair of rolls, the improvement comprising two apron-and-roll-engaging elements for apron and fiber control and apron and roll clearing, each element being disposed within a respective one of said aprons, and means interconnecting said two elements, sa d two elements each having a roll-engaging rubbing surface and an apronengaging nose surface s aced from said roll-engaging surface and an elongate intermediate apron-engaging-andpositioning rubbing surface, said elongate intermediate apron-engaging;-and-positioning rubbing surfaces facing and being adjacent one another and elastic cushioning means permitting elastic relative movement between the adjacent elongate intermediate apron-engaging-and-positioning rubbing surfaces of said two elements to accommodate varying fiber mass conditions in the course of progressing a fiber mass between said aprons.

2. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said means interconnecting said two elements includes a bracket, and said cushioning means includes an elastic cushion bet\ een said bracket and one of said two elements.

3. The improvement according to claim 2 wherein said bracket is U-shaped and extends into recesses formed in said two elements, said cushion being disposed in one of said recesses.

4-. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said fiber drafting assembly includes a substantially stationary c adle cage separate from said two elements, said cl being laterally enclosed within said cradle cage.

5. The improvement according to claim 4 wherein said interconnecting means for said elements includes means connecting said elements together through said cradle 6. The improvement according to claim 5 wherein said interconnecting means for said elements includes a bracket releasably interconn cting said two elements, and said cus toning means includes an elastic cushion between said bracket and one of said two elements, said bracket being releasably connected to said cradle cage.

7. In an apron-type drafting arrangement having a pair rolls and a fiber control apron extending over one said ro s nd with a fiber-er ging run for engagement ss passing along a fiber flow path and second user control means having a fiber-guiding portion facing closely adjacent said fiber-engaging run of said apron the impr vernent compris n a combination apron-androll-clearin. and apron-gt ng element disposed within said apron and engaging in clearing relation with the periphery of said one roll and the interior surface of said apron, and elastic means connected to said element and permitting self-compensating movement of aid apron toward and away from said fiber flow path and said fiberguiding portion of said fiber control means.

8. The improvement according to claim 7 wherein said elastic means includes an elastic mount for and connected to said element.

9. The improvement according to claim 8 wherein said elastic mount includes an elastic member having an aperture formed therein and al o includes a substantially stationary support, and a pin disposed in said aperture and operably associated with said substantially stationary support whereby said pin and said elastic member form an elastic connection between said support and said acronand-roll-clearing and apron-guiding element.

l0. The improvement according to claim 8 wherein sa elastic mount includes an elastic member and a substantially stationary support, means forming a slotted opening on an apron-facing surface of said element, said elastic member being positioned in said slotted opening, and a flat pin member in said slotted opening engaging said elastic member and operably associated with said substantially stat onary support whereby said pin member and said elastic member form an elastic connection between sa d support and said apron-and-roll-clearing and apron-guiding element.

ll. The improvement according to claim 9 wherein said elastic member is a tube disposed in a bore formed in said element, said pin extending into said opening and a corresponding close-fitting opening formed in said support.

12. The improvement according to claim 7 wherein said elastic means is an elastic cushion on one surface of said element and resiliently engagin with said fiberengaging run of said apron.

13. The improvement accordin! to claim 9 wherein said support is a roll-engaging cradle which engages a roll about which said apron rides.

14. The improvement according to claim 7 wherein said second fiber control means includes a second apron disposed about the other of said rolls, said two aprons having interfacing fiber-engaging runs, and a second apron-and-roll clearing and apron-guiding element disposed within the second said apron.

15. The improvement according to claim 14 wherein said elastic means includes an elastic connection between said two elements for elastic self-compensating movement between said two elements toward and away from said fiber flow path.

16. The improvement according to claim 14 wherein said apron-and-roll clearing and apron-guiding elements includes nose guide means for guiding each of said aprons at a spaced apart position from said rolls through a reduced radius bend, said elastic connection being disposed to permit relative compensating movement between said elements adjacent said nose guide means.

17. The improvement according to claim 16 wherein said nose guide means for each of said aprons is integral with the respective one of said elements.

18. The improvement according to claim 14 wherein said elastic means includes an elastic cushion on one surface of one of said elements and resiliently engaging with the interior surface of the fiber-engaging run of its respec- 1 tive said apron.

No references cited.

Claims

1. IN AN APRON-TYPE FIBER-DRAFTING ASSEMBLY HAVING A PLURALITY OF DRAFTING ROLLS AND A PAIR OF FIBER-CONTROL APRONS DISPOSED ABOUT A RESPECTIVE PAIR OF SADI ROLLS AND EXTENDING INTO THE ZONE BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF ROLLS AND A SUBSEQUENT PAIR OF ROLLS, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING TWO APRON-AND-ROLL-ENGAGING ELEMENTS FOR APORNSAND FIBER CONTROL AND APRON AND ROLL CLEARING, EACH ELEMENT BEING DISPOSED WITHIN A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID APRONS, AND MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID TWO ELEMENTS, SAID TWO ELEMENTS EACH HAVING A ROLL-ENGAGING RUBBING SURFACE AND AN APRONENGAGING NOSE SURFACE SPACED FROM SAID ROLL-ENGAGING SURFACE AND AN ELONGATE INTERMEDIATE APRON-ENGAGING-ANDPOSITIONING RUBBING SURFACE, SAID ELONGATE INTERMEDIATE APRON-ENGAGING-AND-POSITIONING RUBBING SURFACE FACING AND BEING ADJACENT ONE ANOTHER AND ELASTIC CUSHIONING MEANS PERMITTING ELASTIC RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE ADJACENT ELONGATE INTERMEDIATE APRON-ENGAGING-AND-POSITIONING RUBBING SURFACES OF SAID TWO ELEMENTS TO ACCOMMODATE VARYING FIBER MASS CONDITIONS IN THE COURSE OF PROGRESSING A FIBER MASS BETWEEN SAID APRONS.